It’s been a long time coming, butF9is finally about to hit theaters. After being delayed a year to accommodate the release of spin-offHobbs and Shaw(much to the chagrin of the main cast) and then delayed another year to accommodate the COVID-19 pandemic, the ninth installment in the mainlineFast and Furiousseries is dueto finally arrive in U.S. multiplexes in June.
Universal has confirmed that its high-octane action movie franchise will be coming to an end soon.F9is kicking off a new trilogy that will concludewhat has now been rebrandedThe Fast Sagawith a grand total of 11 movies. According to director Justin Lin, it’s not beyond the realm of possibility that Dwayne Johnson’s Luke Hobbs and Jason Statham’s Deckard Shaw could appear in the tenth and/or eleventh movies.
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After appearing in a backdoor pilot for their spin-off in the middle act ofThe Fate of the Furious, Johnson and Statham had to sit outF9to star inHobbs and Shaw. While a sequel toHobbs and Shawis in development, the duo could return to the main series, too. When Deadline asked Lin if Johnson and Statham could appear inFast and Furious 10or11, the director said, “I never really considered them gone, you know? To me, they’re still in this universe; they’re part of this family.”
Although the tenth and eleventhFast and Furiousmovies are planned asanInfinity War/Endgame-style two-part finalefor the franchise, Lin’s vague language suggests the movies are still in the planning stage and their stories have yet to be written. Lin elaborated, “Whatever we do, whenever we’re talking about the next chapter, I never feel like I have any restrictions, so I’m excited for what we build, and as we’re coming to this kind of final chapter of this saga, I think I’m excited to revisit… any character, in any situation, is up for discussion.”
It’s no secret that Johnson and the rest of theFast and Furiouscast have experienced tensions in the past. Johnson posted on social media that some of his male co-stars are “candy asses,” while some of hisFastco-stars were miffed that he tookUniversal’sFast and Furiousspin-off offerand broke up the family after Ludacris and Tyrese Gibson turned down a similar offer years earlier. Production ofHobbs and Shawmeant thatF9had to be put on hold, which contributed further to the cast’s rivalries.
However, these tensions appear to have softened recently, as Vin Diesel praisedHobbs and Shawand supported its release back in 2019. The success ofHobbs and Shawhas led to several otherFast and Furiousmovies going into development – includingan untitled female-ledFast and Furiousfilm– so, even after the primary series ends withFast and Furious 11, fans can relax knowing the franchise will still be around for a while.
F9: The Fast Sagais scheduled to be released in theaters on Jun 27, 2025.
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